When growing plants, whether it be in a yard, greenhouse or nursery setting, a substantial amount of time and labor is spent watering each plant. The amount of time and labor spent on this task is compounded by having to accommodate the individual water demand of each particular plant, some plants requiring more frequent watering than others. Therefore, the frequency of watering is largely dependant on the number and types of plants grown. For example, a homeowner may only need to water their yard once or twice a week to accommodate each plants water demand. On the other hand, a greenhouse or nursery operator must water their plant inventory on a daily basis to accommodate the various water demands for each variety of plant. In either case, optimal plant growth is dependant on each plant receiving a supply of water sufficient to meet its particular water demand.
Creating and implementing a watering schedule necessary to achieve optimal plant growth is a burdensome chore that often receives lower priority than other human needs or desires that would rather be addressed. Accordingly, a pattern of infrequent or sporadic water often develops. It is, therefore, desirable to have a watering device or system that can be used to administer water to potted plants on an automatic basis.
Watering devices or systems for administering water to potted plants on an automatic basis are known in the art. Such devices can be used to either water one potted plant or numerous potted plants, depending on the particular situation. The use of such devices are advantageous because they save the operator time and labor normally associated with the task of watering each plant by hand. Further, the use of such devices help to promote optimal plant growth since there is a higher likelihood that each plant's water demand will be met on a consistent basis.
One such device or watering system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,364 to Chapin, comprises a header pipe that is attached to a constant water supply source and positioned adjacent to a row of potted plants. Attached to the header pipe is a series of leader tubes that are routed to each plant. Each leader tube is attached by bracket to each pot and is directed to deliver the water at one location on the plant's soil surface. The device is used to administer water to each potted plant connected to the header pipe by the leader tube.
Although this device does permit self-watering for numerous potted plants, its use does not promote optimal plant growth because the device does not provide a means for regulating the amount of water administered for each individual plant. Instead, each plant receives an equal amount of water regardless of its individual water demand. Accordingly, some plants never receive the amount of water they require while other plants become over-watered. Further, the large potential for the device to over-water wastes water.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,129 to Torrance describes another watering device that comprises a header pipe connected to a water supply source. The header pipe contains multiple outlets to accommodate each individual plant. A valve is connected to each header outlet and a leader tube is connected to each valve outlet. Each leader tube is then routed to a potted plant and directed toward the plant's soil surface. Although this system has the added benefit of allowing the operator to regulate the quantity of water delivered for each plant it does not uniformly distribute the water to the soil surface.
Although the watering devices known in the art provide a means for watering a single or multiple potted plants, the use of these devices do not promote optimal plant growth. In addition to meeting the water demand of each plant, optimal plant growth is dictated by the effectiveness of the water reaching the plant roots. The devices known in the art deliver water to only one location on the plant's soil surface. This single location water delivery scheme produces a non-uniform distribution of water in the soil that results in only part of the soil receiving water while parts remain dry.
Also, many of the watering systems known in the art require the use of external tubing which is messy, unattractive and results in the cluttering of otherwise desirable work space.
It is, therefore, highly desirable to provide a watering device or system that can be used to administer water to an individual potted plant or multiple potted plants in a manner accommodating the water demand of each individual plant. It is also desirable that the device or watering system provide a means for effectively distributing the water delivered to each individual plant onto the soil surface. Finally, it is desirable that the device or watering system be easy to use and cost efficient to operate in terms of conserving water.